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NORMAN — Skylar Vann’s smile shone brighter than the lights at Lloyd Noble Center on Saturday afternoon.
The OU women’s basketball redshirt senior’s yell wasn’t quite up to the sound system, but it wasn’t far off of it.
Vann was at the center of a big run late, helping the third-seeded Sooners put away pesky Florida Gulf Coast, as OU pulled away late for a 81-58 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Sooners led by just eight with less than five minutes to go before Vann and Raegan Beers took over.
In a 15-0 OU run, Beers scored seven consecutive points and Vann was right in the center of everything the Sooners were doing.
Vann fed Beers under the basket on back-to-back possessions, with Beers converting each time.
On the second, which resulted in a three-point play for Beers, Vann let out a scream and flashed a big smile as she ran under the basket to celebrate with Beers and their teammates.
Beers led the Sooners with 25 points and 18 rebounds.
OU outrebounded the Eagles 72-35, setting a women's NCAA Tournament record for rebounds.
The Sooners (26-7) will take on sixth-seeded Iowa on Monday.
The game time for that game is expected to be announced Saturday night.
The Hawkeyes beat Murray State 92-57 in the first game of the day.
Here are three more quick takeaways from the Sooners’ win:
More: Liz Scott provides OU basketball turning point in run to women's NCAA Tournament
Skylar Vann was only one of three players on the roster who had played in an NCAA Tournament game at Lloyd Noble Center.
Playing in one of her final games at the Sooners’ home arena, Vann was at the center of things for OU against Florida Gulf Coast.
Vann’s role has changed significantly this season with the addition of Beers to the roster.
And while Beers was a major force Saturday as well, Vann provided an even bigger lift.
Vann finished with a season-high 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Vann narrowly missed her first double-double of the season.
More: Oklahoma women's basketball tickets in 2025 NCAA Tournament: Prices, how to buy
As advertised, Florida Gulf Coast fired it from deep plenty Saturday.
The Eagles came into the game averaging 25.7 3-point tries per game.
But with the Sooners’ interior presence of Raegan Beers and co., FGCU kept things on the perimeter even more than normal.
The Eagles attempted 15 shots from beyond the arc in the first quarter alone.
FGCU didn’t shoot quite as many threes the rest of the way, but still finished with 41 3-point tries, the most against OU since DePaul attempted 45 on Nov. 13, 2017.
Aaliyah Chavez, the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, attended the game.
Chavez, from Lubbock, Texas, is expected to make her college announcement Tuesday and the Sooners are among the finalists to land the point guard.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU basketball pulls past FGCU to set up clash vs Iowa in March Madness
Continue reading...
The OU women’s basketball redshirt senior’s yell wasn’t quite up to the sound system, but it wasn’t far off of it.
Vann was at the center of a big run late, helping the third-seeded Sooners put away pesky Florida Gulf Coast, as OU pulled away late for a 81-58 victory in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.
The Sooners led by just eight with less than five minutes to go before Vann and Raegan Beers took over.
In a 15-0 OU run, Beers scored seven consecutive points and Vann was right in the center of everything the Sooners were doing.
Vann fed Beers under the basket on back-to-back possessions, with Beers converting each time.
On the second, which resulted in a three-point play for Beers, Vann let out a scream and flashed a big smile as she ran under the basket to celebrate with Beers and their teammates.
Beers led the Sooners with 25 points and 18 rebounds.
OU outrebounded the Eagles 72-35, setting a women's NCAA Tournament record for rebounds.
The Sooners (26-7) will take on sixth-seeded Iowa on Monday.
The game time for that game is expected to be announced Saturday night.
The Hawkeyes beat Murray State 92-57 in the first game of the day.
Here are three more quick takeaways from the Sooners’ win:
More: Liz Scott provides OU basketball turning point in run to women's NCAA Tournament
Skylar Vann comes up big
Skylar Vann was only one of three players on the roster who had played in an NCAA Tournament game at Lloyd Noble Center.
Playing in one of her final games at the Sooners’ home arena, Vann was at the center of things for OU against Florida Gulf Coast.
Vann’s role has changed significantly this season with the addition of Beers to the roster.
And while Beers was a major force Saturday as well, Vann provided an even bigger lift.
Vann finished with a season-high 24 points, nine rebounds and four assists.
Vann narrowly missed her first double-double of the season.
More: Oklahoma women's basketball tickets in 2025 NCAA Tournament: Prices, how to buy
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Eagles let if fly
As advertised, Florida Gulf Coast fired it from deep plenty Saturday.
The Eagles came into the game averaging 25.7 3-point tries per game.
But with the Sooners’ interior presence of Raegan Beers and co., FGCU kept things on the perimeter even more than normal.
The Eagles attempted 15 shots from beyond the arc in the first quarter alone.
FGCU didn’t shoot quite as many threes the rest of the way, but still finished with 41 3-point tries, the most against OU since DePaul attempted 45 on Nov. 13, 2017.
Top recruit takes in the action
Aaliyah Chavez, the No. 1 recruit in the 2025 class, attended the game.
Chavez, from Lubbock, Texas, is expected to make her college announcement Tuesday and the Sooners are among the finalists to land the point guard.
This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: OU basketball pulls past FGCU to set up clash vs Iowa in March Madness
Continue reading...
